Carl Stenoien Places Third In MIAC Decathlon

Gustavus Adolphus senior Carl Stenoien (Underwood, Minn.) became just the third track and field athlete in school history to take home All-Conference honors in the decathlon with a third place finish at the MIAC Multi’s on Friday in Northfield, Minn. Stenoien tallied a total of 5,674 points over the two-day event, becoming the first Gustie since Jered Hokenson in 2006 to place in the top three. His score ranks third all-time at Gustavus, sitting behind Hokenson (5,689 pts) and Jason Meek (6096 pts) in 1994. Rookie Matt Flotterud (Cannon Falls, Minn.) also made a strong debut showing at the event, taking fifth place with 5,431 points.

Devin Dirth of St. Thomas won the decathlon with 6,141 points, while Dirth’s teammate Maxwell Dunne rounded out the top-three in second with 5,694 points.

Stenoien, who was in fourth place following day one’s competition, recorded two top-five finishes on day two. The Underwood, Minn. native’s top performance of the day, and meet, came in the 1500-meter run, which he placed runner-up with a time of 4:36.58. His other top-five mark came in a fifth place finish in the pole vault after clearing 12’ 4.75”. Stenoien also finished 10th in both the 110-meter hurdles (17.55) and discus (91’), and 12th in the javelin (115’ 9”). The senior’s marks in the long jump (20′ 5.75″), 400-meter dash (52.79), and 1500-meter run (4:36.58) are new decathlon school records, as Stenoien broke his own recorn leap 19′ 4.25″ from 2009.

Matt Flotterud registered two top-five finishes on the second day, winning the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 16.23 and finishing fifth in the discus with a throw of 102’ 4”. His time in the 110-hurdles breaks Drew Hood’s 2007 decathlon school record time of 16.44. Flotterud also came in sixth in the pole vault (11’ 5”), 10th in the javelin (118’ 1”) and 14th in the 1500-meter run (5:08.21).

Stenoien and Flotterud will join the rest of the Gustavus men’s track team and compete at the 2011 MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships held next weekend, May 13-14 in St. Peter.